Adeline stared at the rge wall, which was covered in snow. Her sharp eyes scanned for any activity. Suddenly, rows of soldiers emerged, holding bows and arrows. Adeline turned to Bihse, who slightly moved forward as her wolf made a small grunt.

  “They have bolstered their numbers and added another strong human; this one is very sadistic. It is as if they are waiting for something.”

  Adeline let out a small sigh as she shook her head. “That something is me. Maybe the empire isn’t all stupid.”

  “Did you do something to them?”

  “I killed four hundred of their soldiers and around seven high-ranking knights, though there were no sword masters. That part was very disappointing.”

  Bihse turned to Adeline as she hysterically started to ugh.

  “I would understand why they would be upset with you, but the soldiers you killed are most likely nothing more than cannon fodder. Here, there are stronger soldiers and knights, bloodthirsty at that.”

  “I hope that’s true; they have been luck Laster so far.”

  “You want to do something fun?”

  “What do you have in mind?”

  “With your wolf, go to the wall and announce yourself. That will be sure to get their blood pumping.”

  Adeline started to ugh; Bihse was as crazy as she was. She could already tell they would be very close in the future.

  “I like how you think; the pleasure would be mine.”

  “When you hear my horn, retreat. I don’t pn on going all out today.”

  Adeline patted her wolf as she rode off to the wall. Fiery arrows started to rain down, but the wolf was surprisingly maneuverable as she unsheathed her rge great sword and started to use it as a shield. When she was close enough, she stopped and hopped off her wolf, which promptly ran for cover.

  “Didn’t that soldier tell you to get off my nd? I am very generous, so I will give you a week to pack up and leave.”

  She was answered with another volley of arrows, which she effortlessly blocked, but the st one was a spear ced with mana. She tracked it, then at the st second swung her sword, splitting it in half. She was happy to see her swordsmanship develop to such an extent.

  “So you actually came here. Is Oliver with you? I want to personally hear him scream; then you would be next, and your little friends. All this forest will belong to the empire, our promised nd.”

  “Holy shit, you talk a lot. You lost me at Oliver. Who’s Oliver?”

  “The weak-minded man you seduced with your body and is now your sve.”

  “Are you mentally sane? Come closer; I actually want to see if you are as stupid as you sound.”

  Adeline stared up the wall at a man with bright red hair who was retively young. He didn’t look particurly menacing and more like a lost teenager.

  “How old are you? Do your parents know you’re past your bedtime?”

  “Mock all you want, but you won’t be ughing when you’re choking on your blood.”

  Adeline started to ugh at the man while pointing at him; she could not take him seriously at all. Another man with jet-bck hair appeared and looked down at the ughing Adeline.

  “How did you seduce Oliver, you dirty demon?”

  “Wait, give me a second.”

  Adeline finally stopped ughing and stared at the other man.

  “Oliver? You mean Tymon. His actual name is Oliver. Oh wow, this is just great; I will make sure to hang this over his head.”

  “Answer me, you wench!”

  “I didn’t seduce him; you took everything from him. You killed his family, took his name, respect, and pride. Yet here you are asking me if I seduced him? I saved him from becoming you.”

  Rispin’s face frowned deeply but remained silent. Jack, on the other hand, was furious; he wanted to descend down the wall and kill her.

  “Did a cat steal your tongue? You are awfully quiet.”

  “You bitch! I will kill you right now!”

  “They say words can kill, but here I am, still alive. I think you’re all cowards, hiding on your fancy wall. Oh well, I guess I will have to climb up there and kill all of you.”

  Adeline turned toward the icy forest and made a gesture as a small group of trolls came rushing in. Fiery arrows lit the night sky as a battle of attrition started. Adeline, in a fsh, started to run towards the wall. She evaded all attacks; some of the trolls who made it through joined her. They scaled the wall with their bare hands as they started to throw down spears. It was then they pulled forward a huge bell-like bowl and poured oil on them. Adeline knew what was to follow.

  “Everyone retreat now! Jump off if you have to!”

  Adeline stomped one of the trolls under her as the rest followed suit; they started to run away from the wall. It was then a fiery arrows flew towards them. In an instant, she was consumed in a ball of fire. The trolls who did not heed her warning fell from the wall as they screamed in pain and ultimately burned to their death. Rispin stared with a cold gaze as the trolls screamed to their death. Jack, on the other hand, was very disappointed.

  “To think she would die in such a stupid way, truly a dull monster.”

  Rispin’s gaze suddenly fshed as he saw movement; a ball of fire was seemingly making its way towards them. He ordered more oil to be poured as the fire erupted, but it did not stop. He alerted the knights and soldiers, who stepped forward with their weapons ready. Once it made it to the top, knights and soldiers surrounded it.

  “Did you really think a little fire will stop me?”

  Adeline pulled her rge great sword from her back and pnted it in the ground. The fire still continued to burn brightly as she stared at her opponents. The knights stared at each other as if waiting for the other to attack. Rispin and Jack did not intervene as they wanted to see her capabilities, but that’s when a rge horn could be heard. Adeline turned to the forest, then towards her opponents. In a fsh, she swung her head, decapitating a group of soldiers, then grabbed a knight and lunged with him over the wall. The knight’s face was filled with fear as he started to cry in pain as the fire started to consume him. Adeline fell with the knight from a great distance; she turned him and used his body as a cushion. A spt sound could be heard as Adeline emerged, leaving the half-dead knight whose entire body was broken with a rge hole in his abdomen. Rispin and Jack could see Adeline flee into the icy forest as the fire finally burned out.